Growing old gracefully? Well, that depends . . . .

I learned something about myself last night.  My body doesn't like to run.

Now, for those of you who love me and think I am perfect and want to maintain that illusion, this is a TMI alert that you may not want to read what follows, however I know that many of my girlfriends will totally relate.

I was doing a fat burn speed program on my treadmill last night.  Now let me qualify speed.  The maximum speed that I put on the program was 4 mph.  The program will run at different speeds up and down throughout a 30 minute workout.

I was doing great.  2.8 up to 3.4, moving a little faster, swinging my arms, having a good time.  Then it moves up to 4 mph which is a bit of a jog for me.

When I say my body doesn't like to run I don't mean the fact that I have to hold on to the treadmill so I don't trip and fall flat on my face, or that I was huffing and puffing like an asthmatic, or the fact that my knees were screaming at me "hey, what did we ever do to you"!  No, the reason my 41 year old body doesn't like running is the up and down, pounding action that was happening on my bladder.

I was hanging on trying not to fall on my face when I start thinking to myself "I kind of need to go to the bathroom.  I need to go to the bathroom.  I really need to go to the bathroom.  I can't stop in the middle of my work out but I really really have to go to the bathroom". I am trying to hold out through the short segment of 4 mph for the up and down pounding to stop when it happened.  I had a little leakage.  (I warned you!)

Now this wasn't a release of rushing waters, just a little leakage, but still!  How humiliating.

Having birthed offspring I know all about the leakage when you sneeze or when you laugh too hard or when you cough or when you look at someone cross-eyed, not really but you get the idea.  I have talked to my Dr. about that and have a lovely pill that I take now.  However, what are you supposed to do when you are holding on trying not to fall on your face for an extended period of time?

My scrapbook girls want me to do a 5k with them.  What is a (fabulous) middle age bladder control  challenged person to do?  Am I going to have to saddle up to a "product"?

I think I would rather stay home and scrapbook.

Who says the grass is greener?

In my job, managing a department, I have the occasion to learn things about people's personal lives. Having done payroll and working in the accounting department also affords me those opportunities. Oft times more than I really wanted to know.

Sometimes you look at people and think "they have it all together" or "I wish I had such-and-such like they do". Mostly, it makes me look and my life and think it isn't so bad.

Today is one of those days.  I have my own personal struggles, insecurities, failings; what have you, but all in all, my life isn't so bad.

I have a husband who supports me (most of the time) in things I want to do, my kids are mostly obedient and smart (although I wish one would clean a little more and one would go get a job), I have a good job and I like my job, we can pay our bills, I like my family and his family and we are healthy.

Not everyone can say that.

Theny I hear about this earthquake in Haiti.  Our company adopted an orphanage in Haiti.  The CEO of our company has two babies there that they are in the process of adopting.  It is hard to get word from Haiti.  They are very impoverished and don't have the kind of infrastructure to withstand such violent earthquakes.

Tonight I know my babies (teenagers as they are) are safe and sound.

I hope we can all take a moment to be grateful for the grass we stand on, weeds and all and say a little prayer for our brothers and sisters a world away.

Glittery Goodness

I used glitter today, something I haven't done in a long time. I had to make a sample of the craft I am doing for a YW activity.

I decided to make something using the theme for the Youth this year and I think it turned out really well.  I did a flower in each of the YW Value colors and the glitter is the center of the flowers.

I am going to have each of the girls names printed out so they can personalize their notebooks.  My point was to really personalize the popped up portion of the scripture.

This is a fun calling but here is the challenge:  Find something that 12 to 17 year old girls would all like to do that they can make in 1 1/2 hours and keep the cost down to $1 to $2 each. Then be prepared with enough supplies that if all 35 come they can all make it.  Rarely do you get everyone but you can aim high!

For this sample, I cheated a little.  Being Sunday, and not having an extra notebook, I made the sample on the back of one I made for Christmas.

This is a 4x6" notebook that you can get a Wally Word for $1.  Everything else was from my scrapbook supplies.

I have been doing this for a little over a year and I am running out of ideas.
If you have any fabulous ideas that will fit the bill, I would love to hear them.

Resolutions Schmesolutions!

So the new year has come and we are officially in the "10's".  I can't believe how time flies the older you get.

I have just enjoyed a week and a half of vacation time and it all ends tomorrow morning when the alarm goes off.  I spent a lot of time in my jammies.  What could be better!

The last three days I have helped my daughter paint her room.  We learned a new technique: "ragging".  We bought a rag roller (Ralph Lauren; don't be impressed.  The only person who sells one).  It is basically a lint free cloth scrunched up and attached to a roller.  You could make one yourself using rubber bands but I figured $9 is worth the trouble. I rolled the glaze onto a small section then she followed after with a sponge to soften the application.  We kind of used two techniques together to create her unique look.

I am not much of a New Year Resolutions gal.  I am more of a think it over in my head then do it kind of gal. I figure if I need to do something why wait until January 1st.  If I haven't gotten to it by January 1st, I don't want to make a production out of deciding what to do.

I have been working on trying to get a little more balance in my life.  I have a tendency to go whole hog into whatever I am doing.  My husband uses the word obsessive;  I prefer to think of it as dedicated.  Anyway I have been trying to leave work at 5 instead of staying until 6 or 7.  Stuff will still be there tomorrow.

I am going to keep on with that through out the new year.  In part of my balance I want to try and attend to some more spiritual parts of my life.  I want to focus on my tithes and offerings, serving others, and reading my scriptures. It is very easy to get carried away in work and fun things (like crafting and reading and scrapbooks) and let the spiritual things fall by the wayside.

I want to take more time for myself and spend more time with my family and friends. I also want to work on the creative outlets in my life.  Scrapbooking, making (and sending) cards, and blogging.

What "think it out in your head and do it" kinds of things will you be working on this year?